On the ultimate Humorous Automotive go of the day at Brainerd Worldwide Raceway, factors chief Austin Prock powered to the No. 1 spot and claimed his sixth straight victory within the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Problem on Saturday on the forty second annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals.
Antron Brown (Prime Gasoline) and Greg Anderson (Professional Inventory) gained the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Problem, whereas Steve Torrence (Prime Gasoline) and Jerry Tucker (Professional Inventory) additionally certified No. 1 on the thirteenth of 20 races through the 2024 NHRA Mission Meals Drag Racing Sequence season.
Prock went a stellar 3.860s at 334.07mph in his Cornwell Instruments Chevrolet Camaro SS to shut out qualifying and win the specialty race in opposition to Ron Capps within the course of. It offers Prock an unimaginable seven victories within the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Problem, which is essentially the most within the historical past of this system that began a 12 months in the past.
He’s earned 23 bonus championship factors as effectively, whereas the run fingers the factors chief and first-year Humorous Automotive driver an equally unimaginable 9 No. 1 qualifiers within the first 13 races of the season. Like he’s carried out a number of occasions in 2024, Prock will search for a clear sweep of the weekend on Sunday, opening eliminations in opposition to Jim Campbell.
“It was spectacular, however the situations had been coming to all people,” Prock stated. “Security Safari did an impressive job of getting the race observe again into tip-top form. I’m actually happy with the staff, we had an awesome day and had been low of each classes.
“I used to be nervous however just a little excited to get one other shot at a late run right here as a result of final night time we threw up. We had been form of scratching our heads on why. It was actually shut to creating it and it simply didn’t go. [Today], it went proper down there and made a very nice go. We ended up with three extra factors, a Mission win, and one other yellow hat – fairly happy with that.”
Bob Tasca III jumped to second after going 3.868s at 334.98mph within the last session, whereas Blake Alexander took third thank to Friday’s run of three.874s at 331.61mph.
In Prime Gasoline, Antron Brown stayed red-hot in Brainerd, because the defending occasion winner and victor within the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Problem repeated the primary a part of that on Saturday, defeating Steve Torrence within the last of the bonus race with a run of three.842s at 314.17mph in his Matco Instruments Toyota dragster.
It’s Brown’s second victory within the Problem this season, giving him 10 bonus factors for the Countdown to the Championship. Brainerd continues to be an awesome place for the three-time world champion who seeking to be peaking on the good time. He’s the back-to-back Indy winner and Brown, who’s at present fifth in factors, additionally gained the latest race in Sonoma, giving him loads of momentum at a great time.
“It’s all the time been a plan in movement to attempt to peak on the proper time. Our automotive has been operating exceptionally effectively and that’s only a tribute to our staff,” Brown stated. “They’ve been working actually onerous at this and so they obtained mixture. We’ve been operating sturdy sufficient, even with the Mission #2Fast2Tasty to tug off the runs. We make it down observe each run, and whenever you try this, it offers you an opportunity to win.
“That is a kind of nice tracks. It is a particular observe for us, that is the place we ran our first 0.60s, a 3.68s in opposition to J.R. Todd. This observe all the time has some nice reminiscences for us, and we all the time kick into gear – that is the place we get into our groove. We race sufficient races in a row to know the place we’re at and the place we should be at. Tomorrow, hopefully we are able to proceed that pattern and carry it on to the U.S. Nationals.”
Torrence stored the No. 1 place on the power of Friday’s 3.688s at 335.32mph in his Capco Contractors Toyota dragster. It offers the four-time world champ his third prime spot this season and the fortieth in his profession. He’ll open eliminations in opposition to Ida Zetterstrom, who’s making her Prime Gasoline debut this weekend in Brainerd.
“That is time the place you actually stand up in your A-game and begin engaged on making an attempt to go win a championship,” Torrence stated. “Now we have right here and Indy left, after which it’s ‘katy bar the door.’ All people goes to be swinging as onerous as they’ll and making an attempt to exit and win a championship. We’re proper within the thick of issues, and we have to capitalize on each alternative now we have to remain a prime three automotive and begin the Countdown sturdy.”
Tony Stewart stayed within the second spot because of Friday’s 3.688s at 332.18mph and Brittany Pressure jumped to 3rd within the last qualifying session because of a run of three.698s at 335.48mph.
Professional Inventory’s Greg Anderson capped off the night time along with his third win within the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Problem, taking down KB Titan Racing teammate Cory Reed within the last of the bonus race with a run of 6.618s at 204.79mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. It was a great end for the night for Anderson, who will look to comb his hometown race and win for the primary time in Brainerd since 2011.
“It was undoubtedly an awesome day,” Anderson stated. “You need to stick it out. No one cares the way it occurred, they only know who gained, interval, so it’s important to discover a approach to win. We did. It was an awesome race within the last with my new teammate, Cory Reed. He’s clearly going to be a particular racer. I’m very happy with the boy, and I dodged a bullet. We’ll see what the Good Lord brings tomorrow.
“In the present day was an awesome day. I really like racing on Saturday, and as I’ve stated many occasions earlier than, after an awesome win on Sunday I certain want we might race tomorrow, and man we get to race tomorrow. I’m very joyful about that, and I can’t wait to get to it. I believe tomorrow goes to be clean, it ought to be an awesome day, and hopefully we are able to discover a approach to showcase in entrance of the hometown followers.”
Jerry Tucker earned his second profession No. 1 qualifier of the 12 months in his Outlaw Mile Hello Beer/Scag Energy Tools Automotive after a robust go of 6.612s at 207.78mph. It provides to Tucker’s present momentum after operating effectively in Sonoma and advancing to the semifinals. He’ll face off with Mason McGaha, hoping to choose up his first profession win in Professional Inventory and provides Elite Motorsports its seventh straight victory of the 12 months as effectively.
“We knew we had it in us. We went to Sonoma, and we had been in all probability the quickest automotive. I let the staff down,” Tucker stated. “We went over to Rock Falls and did some testing and we had been sooner than Jeg and TJ and Erica. Actually, in testing, if you happen to’re that quick, you’ve obtained racecar. When the automotive is that quick, it’s lots of strain on a man to not mess up deal. Erica drove that automotive for 5 years, and there aren’t any points with that automotive. It’s the quickest automotive.
“The Elite staff is one thing, it’s onerous to place your finger on. Everyone seems to be pulling in the identical route. Erica Enders has been nice to me, Jeg has been proper beside me. Anytime you’ve gotten that many championships making an attempt to maintain you in line, it’s form of onerous to mess up. My staff is sweet that works on my automotive, so it’s actually simply as much as the motive force.”
Enders is second with a 6.612s at 207.27mph and Anderson certified third.
Eliminations for the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals start at 10:30 a.m. CT on Sunday at Brainerd Worldwide Raceway.
